Abstract: | The present work opens a series of papers describing a variety of properties of the same material, and deals with the effect of Eu++ ions, and y–irradiation on the optical and dielectrical characteristics of NaCl crystals. For nonirradiated crystals four types of Eu++-related absorption spectra have been identified and correlated with I.V. dipoles and three types of precipitates stable in the well aged crystals. For the solution—treated samples the effect of irradiation was to diminish the concentration of I.V. dipoles and to change the absorption spectrum in a remarkable way. These changes are explained in terms of the formation of some dopant—related clusters different of those obtainable thermally. No spectroscopic evidences have been obtained for the radiation—induced changes of the valence state of the dopant irrespective of its dispersion degree. |